KRISHNA KARNAMRUTA-SLOKA 44

 Lokaanunmadayan Srutir mukharayan kshoniruhaan harshayan

Sailaan vidravayan mrugaan vivasayan go brunda maanandayan

Gopaan sambhramayan munin  mukulayan saptha swaraan jambhayan

Omkaaraartha mudirayan vijayithe vamsi ninaadas sisoh !

Leela Shuka describes the wonderful and rare attributes of his darling ishta daiva Sri Krishna! Krishna sports the 'kasthuri' bindi on His brow! He wears the holy and rare kausthubha jewel on His chest! At the tip of His nose there is the priceless new pearl! He wields the Divine flute in His palm There is a girdle around His hand! There is a pearl garland around His neck! All his body is smeared with fragrant sandal paste! He is surrounded by a bevy of Gopikas! He is the very crown jewel of the Gopaalaas—Gopaala chudaamani!

“He is capable of driving people mad after Him! He makes the Vedas resound all over the world!  He makes all the trees extremely happy and allows them to sprout and wear tender leaves! It is He who is capable of melting down hills and mountains! He is the one who kills all animals! He brings happiness to herds of cattle, especially cows! He is the object of wonder and illusion to all the gopaalaas! Before Him all sages and saints bow down with folded hands! He makes the Seven Swaraas-notes of music- Sa, Ri,  Ga, Ma, Pa Dha, Ni shine brilliantly! He represents the very essence of Pranava otherwise called  “Omkaara”! Let those Divine notes of His flute be the greatest and the victorious! Proclaims poet LeelaShuka in this excellent sloka! He waters all plants and trees in the forest and makes them happy! They come up with tender leaves and grow with wonderful blossoms and fruits! 

While speaking of the special attributes of Krishna’s personality, Leela Shuka considers the great qualities and attributes of paramatma, Lord Vishnu who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient! There is nothing that is impossible for Him! The thought of Krishna and Love for Him has driven many a bhaktha mad! Such devotees have been intoxicated with a Divine frenzy and desired to merge with Him! He is Veda Swarupa, the embodiment of the spirit of the Vedas!  It is because of Him that the Vedas and Sasthras have become popular! He is the manifestation of Nature, the trees, hills and mountains, streams and rivers and oceans and all living creatures! Mountains come into existence through His will and  melt into nothing! He is the cattle herd and protects them. Hence He is called Gopaala! He has mesmerized all the Gopas and Gopikas, performed many miracles and enveloped them in his Maya or ilillusion. Sadhus and saints bow down before Him with folded hands because He is the final goal that they have to reach! 

Paramatma is considered as “Nadaswarupa” – the embodiment of Nada or sound! It is from Him that the primordial sound AUM has emerged! This is called Omkara! The Upanishads proclaim the glory of this sound vociferously. “Om ityekaaksharam Brahma”- that is, this one letter is Brahman! Saint Thyagaraja sings about the unity and the oneness of Sankara and Omkaara in one of his famous kritis or songs: “Nada thanu manisam Sankaram”- Sankara or Lord Siva is the personification of Nada or Primordial sound which is Omkaara! Thus Krishna who Himself is Vishnu incarnate, is the form and essence of Nada or Omkaara! The Divine flute, no doubt releases the same Pranava that purifies one and all! 

In short, Paramatma has no beginning, middle or end! He is “Adyantarahita! He is the Creator, Protector  and the destroyer! He has manifested Himself as glorious Nature, mountains, rivers, trees, animals and all living and nonliving objects! There is nothing that He has not created! As the saying affirms, “ Ekah paratma bahu deha varthi”-There is one celestial Atma or Soul and it manifests through different bodies! To Leela Shuka, Krishna is not merely the lovely lad of Gokulam, the darling of Yasoda or the thief of milk and butter from the homes of gopikas but the Parabrahman who is all in all in the illusory world that He has created! Krishna cannot be limited to any village, country or area, race! It is only His Maya that prevents us from understanding His Real Stature and mission in the universe!!